


Little Red

by KittyBandit



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Anal Sex, M/M, Oral Sex, Red Riding Hood Elements, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 13:51:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15864894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyBandit/pseuds/KittyBandit
Summary: Be wary of the forest, lest the wolves eat you up.





	Little Red

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution to the DGM Big Bang 2018! I collaborated with Spiccan, who drew amazing art for my fic on tumblr! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this!

_Be wary of the forest_ _… It’s what they all say, the villagers in town. And you’ve learned to drown out the chatter, to ignore them and call them superstitious fools. For only a child or a fool would believe that monsters lurk in such places._

 

xXxXxXx

 

The room at the inn smelled of fresh linens and pine, the solitary window opened wide to let in the warm summer air. Lavi tossed his suitcase onto the bed, the mattress giving from the weight. The rest of his things were being brought in by the carriage footman—boxes of books, stationary, inkwells, and fountain pens. He’d traveled for nearly a week to get to the little hamlet, and though the ride had been easy going, he was still glad to have arrived.

Not wanting to waste any time, he opened his suitcase and began sorting through his clothing. A small armoire stood on the far wall, along with a dresser. The desk was situated near the window, to use the natural light to write by, with only a single chair and an oil lamp accompanying it. As he grabbed the first armful of clothes, the sound of the door hinges creaking open stole his attention.

“It’s about time you got here,” said the woman standing at the threshold. She smiled wide, her violet eyes sparkling as she ran and gave him a huge hug. He nearly dropped the clothes on the floor as he caught her.

With an amused laugh, he returned the hug. “It’s good to see you, too, Lenalee.”

After kissing his cheek, she pulled away and grinned up at him. “It’s been too long since your last visit.”

Lavi rolled his good eye, heading over to the dresser once he was free of her exuberant embrace. “Not that long, really.”

Lenalee hummed, clasping her hands behind her back as she followed him. “Eight years, by my count.”

“Hey, now. I thought I was the one with a head for figures?”

“Apparently, you’ve lost your touch.”

“Cruel.”

She hovered next to him as he shoved his clothing into the drawer. “Regardless, it’s been an eternity since you’ve come to visit. Allen’s excited, too. He’s out back helping with the chickens, but I’m sure he’ll be along soon.” She playfully nudged his shoulder. “Are you hungry? Jerry’s making roasted lamb with potatoes and squash tonight.”

“I should probably head out to see Gramps as soon as I can. He’s the reason I’m back, after all.” He gave Lenalee an apologetic smile before grabbing another armful of clothes to shove into the drawers.

Lenalee clucked her tongue. “It’s already late. Are you sure you can make it out there and back before the sun sets? You know it’s dangerous to travel in the forest at night.”

“I think I’ll manage,” Lavi replied, a bite of sass in his voice.

“All right, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. My offer for dinner still stands.” Lenalee gave him a long, concerned look before taking her leave.

Lavi sighed as the door shut behind her. He knew he’d have to deal with the same superstitious nonsense that he’d dealt with years ago before he’d left—stories of how the woods were unsafe, that wild animals prowled at night, and villagers had disappeared in the forest never to return. Nonsense, all of it. Even as a child, he knew better than to believe such fanciful stories. Nothing prowled those woods except hungry deer and a few stubborn squirrels.

He knew better than to think otherwise.

 

xXxXxXx

 

 _People disappear, they say. They go into the forest and never return_ _—taken by wolves. But you_ _’re not like them. You’re smart. You know your way through the woods—you have since you were a child._

 _Stay on the path, they say. And don'_ _t travel at night. They remind you again and again. But you know better. You can take care of yourself._

 

xXxXxXx

 

“You’re burning the soup!”

Lavi bit back a sigh pulled the pot of soup off the stove, setting it aside on the small dining table just behind him, knocking his head into the bundles of drying herbs hanging from the ceiling for the tenth time since he’d arrived. His grandfather’s cottage was cramped and small, barely fitting his short, skinny grandfather as it was. Lavi felt like a giant trying to squeeze into a dollhouse—he was too tall and lanky for the tiny home.

“You know, you could show a little gratitude, Gramps,” Lavi complained as he checked the fire in the stove before grabbing two bowls from the cupboard. “I came all this way to take care of you. The least you could do is not order me around like a maid.”

Bookman snorted in derision, arms crossed over his chest. “I should’ve hired a maid instead. You’re useless for housework.” He leaned back in his chair, a frustrated frown pulling at his lips.

Lavi ladled the soup into the bowls and leveled a glare at Bookman. “With what money, old man? You barely have enough for food.”

“I wouldn’t have needed money for food if I could get into the damn garden.” He opened his mouth to lay out another barrage of complaints, but a coughing fit struck him then, and his shoulders shook miserably as he fought for breath.

Lavi grimaced, trying not to let on how worried he was for his grandfather. The sickness had settled into his chest for weeks now, and the physician he’d managed to drag out to the cottage had diagnosed him with pneumonia. Lavi wasn’t sure how long he’d had it, but considering his condition had worsened enough to keep him in bed most of the day, it had to have been months.

“Don’t worry about the garden. I’ll check on it for you.” He slid the soup in front of Bookman, then set about making some tea the physician had prescribed for the cough.

When Bookman caught his breath, he grabbed his glass and drank down the lukewarm water. “You don’t know a carrot from a weed.”

“Maybe not, but you’re not going out there until you can argue with me without trying to cough up a lung.” He spoke with his back to Bookman, measuring out the leaves before tossing them in the teapot.

Bookman grumbled under his breath as he poured himself more water from the pitcher. He shifted his gaze down to his bowl, steam wafting off the brown, opaque soup, plopping a spoon into the mix before taking a cursory bite. He waited for a long moment, chewing the mix of potato, carrot, beef, and garlic slowly. “…It’s not bad, today.”

Lavi finished with the tea, setting out a cup and the teapot onto the table. He poured Bookman a cup, passed him a hard roll, then sat down to join him for their supper. “And I thought you said I burned it?”

“Just goes to show how bad it was yesterday.” Bookman slurped another spoonful down before grabbing his tea. He sipped quietly, then looked over at the small window near the door. The light was fading, the sun streaking brightly through the glass at low angles. “It’s getting late. Perhaps you should stay here tonight?”

Shaking his head, Lavi ripped open a hard roll before dipping it into his soup. “I can’t. I have to mail off my latest copy of book to the editor by tomorrow. If I’m late with it, she’ll have my head.”

Bookman shot a displeased look his way before setting down his tea. “The woods are dangerous at night. You shouldn’t travel after dark—and never leave the road.”

It took all of Lavi’s willpower not to roll his eye at his grandfather’s concern. “I didn’t think you bought into that superstitious nonsense, old man.” He ate his soup, avoiding Bookman’s gaze.

With a huff, Bookman sat back in his chair. “You haven’t been here in years, boy. Things aren’t like in that big city you’ve settled in.”

Lavi chuckled, setting his spoon back in the bowl. “Gramps, I can take care of myself. It’s not like I haven’t walked through these woods a hundred times when I was younger.”

Pursing his lips, Bookman watched Lavi for a long moment before continuing. “People have been disappearing at night.”

“That old yarn?” Lavi asked, not looking up from his meal.

“It’s true. At least five people in as many months.” He sipped from his medicinal tea again, eyebrow twitching slightly at the strong taste. “It happens at night during the full moon. All of them vanish near the forest.”

“Let me guess,” Lavi began, ripping a chunk off the hard roll. “Spirits whisked them away?”

Bookman threw half his roll at Lavi, the bread bouncing off his forehead and landing on the floor. “Idiot!”

“Hey! Don’t throw food!” Lavi growled out rubbing his forehead and brushing the crumbs out of his hair. “Lenalee baked that this morning! What a waste.” He reached down to save Bookman’s roll from the floor.

“Then don’t be a sarcastic brat and I won’t!” Bookman coughed again, too agitated to hold back the itch. When he’d cleared his throat, he took a long swig of his tea. “It sounds like wolves have been taking people at night, not _spirits_. They’re more active at night, and have grown bold recently.”

Wolves…now there was a tangible threat, and one that Lavi was hesitant to argue over. He set Bookman’s roll on the table between them, then retreated back to his own meal. “It’ll be fine,” he said, voice level and calm. “Don’t worry so much, old man.”

 

xXxXxXx

 

 _Lost_ _…Lost in the forest at night. You hear the howling and you do not feel as smart as you did before. You panic. You run. You meet_ him _._

 

xXxXxXx

 

As night fell and Lavi still hadn’t reached town, he wanted to eat his earlier words to his grandfather. The woods felt less welcoming in the dark, the chattering of insects and the call of owls in the pitch black left him uneasy as he made his way through the forest. He’d expected to find his way home nearly an hour ago, but after the sun set, he couldn’t see the path. Blindly walking through the trees, he traversed with care, leaves and twigs crunching underfoot as he stumbled in what he hoped was the direction of town.

“Should’ve listened to Gramps,” Lavi whispered to himself as he continued through the forest, pulling his red, hooded cloak closer around his face. The waning moon was still bright in the clear sky, and offered him some reprieve from the darkness, but it wasn’t enough to navigate by. With a sigh, he stopped by a large maple tree, one hand on the rough bark to steady himself. His nerves were getting the better of him.

“Should’ve brought a lamp, too,” he admonished himself, shaking his head. Too late now for regrets—all he could do was continue on and hope he found the town without any more trouble.

Then a howl, too close for comfort, left the hair on Lavi’s neck standing on end. It echoed through the trees and around him like the call of the Devil himself. Breath caught in his throat, he strained his ears, listening for any sounds, any indication that the wolf had his scent.

He debated staying where he was, hoping to hide his presence somehow, or making a break for it in an attempt to reach the town before the wolf could catch him. Both plans sounded as equally absurd, even with fear coursing through his limbs and sending his thoughts spiraling out of control.

When the second howl followed the first, Lavi’s legs moved on their own. He scrambled towards the direction he _hoped_ the town was in, uncaring of the noise he created as he struggled to run through the foliage and underbrush. Before he could dart more than ten feet, he ran into something warm, firm— _well muscled_.

Lavi cried out in surprise as he fell on his ass, his pack dropping to the ground and scattering his travel supplies across the forest floor. He struggled to stand, boots slipping against the damp leaves and grass. Before he could find his footing, he heard a smooth, caramel laugh. The sound was so unexpected, that Lavi blinked and looked up at the dark figure not three feet away, heart still pounding in his chest.

“I’m sorry,” the figure said, voice low and relaxed. Lavi flushed, thankful for the darkness to at least cover his embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“It’s, ah, it’s okay.” Lavi shifted, slowly sitting up. He couldn’t quite see the stranger’s face, but the moon cast along the angles of his chin and cheekbones. He wore a loose buttoned shirt that’d seen better days, and a pair of well-worn trousers. While his features were half-concealed in the shadows, Lavi noticed his dark complexion and long, curled hair. He had it tied back, loose at his neck and barely tamed.

Lavi struggled to get up when the stranger offered a hand. He took it and found his footing once more. When he tried to pull his hand to free it from the firm grip, the stranger didn’t let go, fingers instead curling around Lavi’s.

Even in the dark, Lavi could see the smile on his face, white teeth shining in the moonlight, though he couldn’t make out much else. “Didn’t anyone tell you that it’s dangerous to walk in the woods at night?”

The comment made Lavi sigh, but he shrugged it off as best he could. He turned to the side, avoiding looking at the stranger. “So I’ve heard.” His hand was still caught between the stranger’s fingers, and the flush on his face brightened before he tugged it away. “But if you’re out here as well, then what does that make you?”

The stranger laughed, lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “A fool. Or perhaps one of those dangerous things you’ve been warned about?”

“I hope the former.”

He chuckled again, rubbing the tip of his nose as he stared off into the darkness. He paused for a quick moment, eyes focusing on Lavi again. “I’m Tyki, by the way.”

“Lavi,” he offered, moving to grab his belongings from forest floor. “Sorry I ran into you.”

“No harm done.” Tyki watched him, eyes focused on Lavi like a hawk watching a rabbit. “Are you lost? I don’t meet many people out here at night.”

Stuffing the last of his things back into the bag, he stood and shouldered it, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other as Tyki stared at him. Even in the dark, those eyes of his seemed to glow, like pools of gold, and the intensity left Lavi off balance. “Lost might be a bit harsh. I just… misplaced the road.”

“An interesting way to put it.” Tyki shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned in closer. “However you want to frame it, I can help you find the road again—maybe even walk you to your destination, too.”

The strangeness of his encounter with Tyki put him on edge. He chewed on the inside of his lip, watching with a wary eye as he squeezed the straps of his pack. Lavi knew couldn’t find his way back to town on his own, and if Tyki could help him, what was the harm in taking up his offer? Then again, he had no clue who Tyki was, or what his intentions were. What was he doing out in the woods at night?

Even with his reservations, he couldn’t refuse. “I wouldn’t mind the help.” His voice came out more timid than he would’ve liked, but Tyki paid no mind. He smiled again, and Lavi found the gesture comforting—charming even. “I was trying to make my way back to town.”

“Ah, let me guess. Easthaven?”

Adjusting the clasp at the front of his hooded cloak, Lavi blinked in surprise. “Yes, actually. How did you know?”

“It’s the only town for miles. If you’re headed somewhere else, you’re more than a little lost.” Tyki gave him a sly grin, then began walking. “Don’t worry. I can lead you there.”

 Lavi hesitated for a split second before following after Tyki. They ducked under tree branches and weaved around bushes as they worked their way through the forest. Lavi walked in silence, readjusting the strap of his bag over and over again as he nervously let Tyki lead him through the woods. His gaze returned to Tyki time and time again as they walked, still hesitant. The pace was slow going at first, but after nearly twenty minutes, they’d found the trail again.

Tyki continued down the road, not waiting or looking back to see if Lavi was still following him. “You really lost your way, didn’t you?”

Falling in step next to him, Lavi pinched the bridge of his nose. “It was just… too dark to see well.”

“Apparently.” Tyki chuckled and looked down at Lavi. “And what has you out here at night?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Ah, but I asked first.” Tyki smiled, and Lavi felt his heart thud against his chest in a strangely pleasant way.

Lavi swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to ignore the way Tyki’s eyes bore down on him. “I was visiting my grandfather. He has a cottage in the forest. I left to return to town a bit too late, and well—the rest you know.”

“Mmm, I see.” Tyki tilted his head up, staring at the moon as it peeked through the dense foliage overhead. “Strange for your grandfather to live so far out of town.”

“He’s stubborn,” Lavi replied, focusing on the trail to keep from losing his bearings again. “He doesn’t like people and prefers to live alone.”

“Now _that_ I can understand.” Branches and dead leaves cracked under their feet as they continued down the path, and the longer they walked, the more comfortable Lavi felt with him.

“And what about you?” Lavi asked again, fingers nervously twisting at the straps of his pack. “What are you doing out here at night?”

With a chuckle, Tyki shoved his hands into his pockets again, the smile never leaving his lips. “Let’s just say I appreciate the solitude as much as your grandfather.”

Lavi raised an eyebrow. “So you just walk around the woods at night… for fun?”

“You sound like you don’t believe me.”

“You have to admit. It _is_ a bit odd.” Lavi scratched at his neck, his gaze wandering back to the road. “There’s not exactly anything interesting out here at night.”

“I found you, didn’t I?” Tyki winked at him as they walked side by side, and Lavi sunk back into his hooded cloak to hide his embarrassment.

“I’m not that interesting.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

A smile touched Lavi’s lips, and he tugged at the fabric of his hood. “You know… for someone I just met in the woods, you’re oddly charming.”

The moonlight hit Tyki’s face through the tree branches overhead, and Lavi saw the pleased look that passed over it. “ _Oddly_ charming, hm? I guess I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Lavi didn’t have a chance to reply before the lanterns, still lit on the outskirts of town, caught his eye. The dim glow filtered past the trees and foliage, and he perked up at the sight. “Looks like your internal compass is much better than mine. We’ve made it back.”

Tyki hummed in agreement as they passed through the tree line and into the open space around town. The road cleared up, well worn the closer to town they traveled, and the moon overhead glowed brighter as the sky cleared. “And in one piece.”

Turning to Tyki, Lavi’s smile grew. With the better lighting, he could make out more of Tyki’s features, and as he feared, he only grew more handsome. “Thank you for your help.”

“It was my pleasure.”

Fidgeting with the strap on his bag again, Lavi paused just on the edge of town. “I’d like to repay your for your trouble—for helping me, that is.”

Tyki shrugged. “It was no trouble at all.”

“Still,” Lavi began, uncomfortable as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Can I buy you some dinner? Or a drink?”

Pausing as if to consider the options, Tyki stared down at him. “I really should be going,” he said, not making the move to leave. “But, there is one thing I’d like to have.”

“Name it, and it’s yours.”

Tyki’s lips broke out into a wide grin, and he leaned in closer. “A kiss.”

Blinking in surprise, and not sure of what he’d heard, Lavi’s lips parted to speak. “A ki—?” Before he could finish his question, Tyki’s lips were on his. The kiss took him off guard, and all he could do was stand there as heat flooded his body. A hot flush blossomed on his cheeks, the soft touch of delicate skin on skin leaving him at a loss. When Tyki pulled away, Lavi looked up at him, bright red and flustered.

“Red is a good color on you,” Tyki teased, brushing his thumb along Lavi’s cheek before stepping back and heading towards the forest.

It took Lavi a moment for his tongue to work again, and when it did, he reached out to catch Tyki’s wrist. “Wait a moment.” His fingers tightened in the worn fabric of Tyki’s shirtsleeve. “Where are you going?”

The smirk on Tyki’s face did little to quell the furious beating of Lavi’s heart. “Don’t worry. You’ll see me again.” He twisted his wrist gently to break Lavi’s hold, then continued on his way. Lavi watched as he walked past the tree line, and like an apparition, disappeared.

 

xXxXxXx

 

_The wolves are clever, they say. With wit and will enough to outsmart even the most intelligent person, they are dangerous even in passing._

 

xXxXxXx

 

Early morning sunlight filtered in through the windows of the inn and the smell of fresh sausage and flapjacks wafted through the air. Lavi, not used to being up at such an early hour, rested his chin on his upturned palm as he waited for Lenalee to bring him breakfast. His eyes drooped heavy with fatigue, shoulders slouched as he struggled to stay awake.

Next to him, Allen scarfed down his meal, giving Lavi a sidelong glance. “You look terrible,” he said between large bites of sausage and eggs.

Heaving a sigh, Lavi reached for his mug of hot coffee. Cupping it between his hands, the ceramic burned his palms as he took another sip to ward away his lethargy. “Thanks so much, Al.”

Allen patted him on the shoulder and gave him a comforting smile. “You know I don’t mean it like that. You just look like you didn’t sleep well. Worried about your grandfather?”

Lavi stiffened for a brief moment, the question taking him by surprise. “Ah, yeah. I am, of course. Though, he seems like he’s doing better now.”

The words came easy—easier than they should’ve. Lavi supposed it was the half-truths to them. He _was_ worried about Gramps, like any grandchild would, but concerns for his grandfather weighed less on his mind than other things—

Namely the strange man he’d met by chance in the woods the night before.

 _Tyki_. His cheeks flushed at the thought of him. They’d spent barely an hour together, traipsing through the forest and back to town, but even in that short span of time, Lavi grew intrigued with the odd man. He seemed to know the woods like the back of his own hand, and had no trouble navigating them even under the cover of darkness. He’d helped Lavi find his way again, and before he left—Lavi swallowed down another mouthful of coffee, hoping the heat would give him an excuse for his flushed cheeks. The memory of Tyki’s lips on his was what kept him up half the night. He couldn’t purge it from his mind.

Allen nodded, accepting the answer at face value. He skewered another sausage on his fork. “That’s good. I hope he gets well soon. We’re all worried about him living out there in the middle of nowhere.”

“Mm,” Lavi mumbled, staring into the dark coffee swirling in his mug, lost in thought.

Lenalee slipped into the main dining area, carrying a plate in each hand. She set one in front of Lavi and Allen, plates piled high with hashbrowns, sausage, and eggs. She’d even added a few fresh strawberries to their meals as well.

“Allen,” she warned, “This is your _last_ plate. When you finish, I need your help with cleaning.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, returning her stern look with an innocent smile before scooping another forkful of food into his mouth.

She sighed and joined them at the table, turning a concerned eye to Lavi, who hadn’t spoken nor touched his breakfast. After a few moments of watching Lavi stare into his coffee, she broke the silence. “Cat got your tongue?”

Shaken from his thoughts, Lavi looked up with a wide-eyed stare. “What?”

Lenalee smiled, pushing his plate closer to him before taking a sip from her own mug. “You’re oddly quiet. I would think you’d be talking our ears off about the city by now. Even so early in the morning.”

Flushed, Lavi grabbed his fork and stabbed it into the yolk of one of his eggs, yellow running over the potatoes and sausages. “Sorry. Long trip and all.” He pushed his food around the plate, but didn’t bother to take a bite. He still couldn’t get Tyki’s kiss out of his head. “Distracted with my book.”

“I thought you were worried about your grandfather?” Allen asked, not even looking up from his meal as he spoke with his mouth half-full.

Blanching, Lavi reached for his mug and took a long sip of coffee to give himself time to think. “I can be concerned about more than one thing, Al.”

“Hmm.” Lenalee watched him over her mug, a smug smirk curling up on her lips. “Now that I think about it… you did come back awfully late last night. I remember hearing the racket you made when you stumbled into you room.”

Lavi pursed his lips and averted his gaze, staring out the nearby window. One of the local farmers was already bringing produce in for the early market, their cart heavy with summer squash as they headed down the road. “Did you have nothing better to do than listen in on me?”

“Now that you mention it,” Allen began, turning to face Lavi fully and abandoning his breakfast, “he isn’t acting worried. More like… smitten?”

Lavi held in a sigh. Sometimes he hated how well his friends knew him, even after years apart. “I’m not smitten. I’m tired and busy and can you both please leave me in peace?”

Hiding a laugh behind her mug, Lenalee leaned back in her chair. “How have you been in town for less than two days and already met someone?”

With his lips pressed into a tight line, Lavi pushed his plate back towards Lenalee and stood up. “I’m going to the market.”

As he walked away, Lenalee called after him. “What about your breakfast?”

“Not hungry.”

“I’m still charging you for it!” she reminded him as he slipped out the door.

 

xXxXxXx

 

_The wolves are excellent hunters, they say. They will stalk their prey, day and night, finding the right time to strike._

 

xXxXxXx

 

“I got that cheese you wanted,” Lavi said as he sorted through the supplies in his pack. He wiped the sweat from his brow, exhausted from the trek to the cottage.

Bookman walked around the table, looking through all the supplies Lavi had brought and mentally checking off each needed item from the list. “Hmm…Did you remember the flo—”

“Yes, I got your flour,” Lavi finished, grabbing the small sack and dropping it on the table with a soft _thump_. “Wheat _and_ rye, as requested.”

“What about the tobacco?”

Without missing a beat, Lavi continued pulling out items. “No tobacco until you’re better. You know the doctor said it can make your pneumonia worse.”

“Feh.” Bookman pulled out a chair and took a seat, glaring down at the items his grandson had hauled in from town. “What does she know,” he muttered under his breath, less of a question than a rhetorical statement.

Lavi watched him carefully from the corner of his eye. He knew his grandfather hated being told what to do, and with his health failing, it was more troublesome to get him to rest. The old man didn’t like being taken care of, and that stubborn streak of independence forced Lavi to walk a thin line between pushing his grandfather towards recovery and berating him for bad habits.

He didn’t bother to chide Bookman as he unpacked the last of the supplies. He was already intimately familiar with the cabinets and storage areas in the cottage and started putting each item in its proper place. “Did you drink your tea this morning?” Lavi asked, heaving the bags of flour into the cabinet.

“Of course I did. I’m not a child. I can take my medicine.” Bookman coughed again, then grabbed a glass of water from the table. The rattling in his lungs as he fought for breath put Lavi on edge.

“I’m just double-checking,” he snapped back, less bite in his voice than normal. Then, with a teasing lit to lighten the mood, he added, “You old people forget things all the time, y’kn—OW!”

The package of cheese Lavi had handed Bookman not more than a minute ago beaned him in the back of the head, bouncing off his skull and sliding across the floorboards. When Lavi turned around, red-faced and glaring, Bookman had his glass to his lips, contently sipping his water.

Taking a deep breath, Lavi counted to ten in his head, desperately trying to calm his temper before it got the best of him. He bent down and snatched the thrown cheese off the floor, then tossed it back on the table. “Are you making a habit of throwing food at me? Because if that’s the case, I can stop bringing you food.”

“I wouldn’t hit you with it if you weren’t acting like an idiot.” Bookman stood, taking his water with him as he moved back towards his bed. “You’re treating me like an invalid. I can take care of myself.”

“Actually, you can’t. That’s why I’m here.”

“You’re just my errand boy until I can afford a horse and cart.”

Shaking his head, Lavi sighed and returned to putting away the food. “Y’know, I was actually starting to worry about you, but with that attitude, I’m sure you’ll be just fine.”

“Of course I will! This stupid sickness won’t keep me down.” He leaned back against the headboard, thick pillows cushioning him as he reclined.

Rolling his good eye, Lavi continued with his task. Once the food had been stored away, he set a kettle on the stove to boil. Gramps would need another dose of his medicine by lunch time, and it was almost noon.

“What did you want for lunch?” he asked, peeking at the bowl of fresh vegetables on the table. “I’m sure you’re sick of oatmeal and soup.”

Bookman hummed thoughtfully. “There are green beans ready for plucking in the garden. Spinach and lettuce, too.” He grabbed his glass of water again, then paused before taking a sip. “I think there are still strawberries and blackberries out back by the maples. You should grab those before the birds pick the bushes clean.”

With a nod, Lavi grabbed the wicker basket hanging next to the door and a pair of gardening gloves and shears. “I’ll weed the beds for you, since I’m out there. Don’t forget the kettle on the stove.”

Bookman’s only response was a quiet mumble that Lavi couldn’t make out, but he had a feeling if he prodded the old man again, he’d end up with another bruise on his head. He darted out the door before another object was thrown his way.

The canopy provided some relief from the sun, but the thickness of the trees kept any wind from reaching the little cottage. Bookman had lived out there for years, and as such, had a well-working homestead. While the cottage itself was small, there were other handy amenities around the property. Two sheds stood not far from the cottage, one for storage and one for firewood. Gardens dotted the yard, fenced in to ward off the rabbits and deer, though it never worked as well as Bookman had hoped. Berry bushes and a lone apple tree stood at the back of the lot, providing more than enough fruit for him to eat. Normally, Bookman would’ve already canned and traded off jars of preserves from the berry harvest, as well as any vegetables he’d had in abundance, but his illness had stopped him from completing those tasks.

So, the tasks fell to Lavi.

Lavi had never had much of a desire to farm, but when he’d spent summers with his grandfather as a young boy, he’d been put to task—chopping wood, gardening, harvesting vegetables, fixing things around the cottage. It’d been frustrating as a child, when all he really wanted to do was read or travel to town to visit Lenalee and Allen, his only friends at the time. It was why he’d gone to study in the city, and spent his time there instead of back here with his last living relation. He didn’t want this life, a life of hard work and dirty hands and sweaty skin. He enjoyed the city and working for the publishing company.

Now, his only consolation was that he knew he wouldn’t have to stay for long. Gramps was on the mend, even if his cough still made him sound like a dying man. All he had to do was a few chores and hike back and forth to town to bring him supplies. It wasn’t so bad—or at least that was what he repeated in his head over and over again. And he got to stay with Lenalee and Allen at the inn. He might’ve gone mad by now if it weren’t for their company.

Opening the gate to one of the gardens, Lavi picked his way through the vegetables, pulling only the ripe ones from the plants. The old man had been right—green beans, spinach, and lettuce were more than ready for a first harvest. Pulling out the shears, he cut the leafy vegetables first, tucking them into his basket before moving to the bean plants. He popped off pod after pod, depositing each one safely in the wicker basket. A few tomatoes had ripened as well, along with two bright yellow squash. When he’d picked through everything, he left the garden, making sure to latch the gate before heading back to the berries.

The bushes grew wild, and had been there since Lavi could remember. As he approached the back of the lot near the maples, he spotted the bushes. Strawberries and blackberries had already been well-picked by the birds, but there were still a few purple and red berries hanging off the plants. He meticulously picked through the fruits that had been left behind, tucking each berry away in the basket.

Just as he moved from the blackberry bush to the strawberries, he heard a rustling deeper in the trees. Standing to full height, he glanced around, wondering if some squirrels or weasel were scrounging about, but he saw nothing. Brushing it from his mind, he knelt down to the strawberry patch and began harvesting. Everything was quiet once again, save for the twittering of songbirds in the trees and the buzzing of insects on the wind.

The rustling noise startled him again, and he stood upright, back straight as he glared into the forest. But no matter where he looked, he saw nothing nearby. Swallowing at the lump in his throat, he narrowed his eyebrows. “Is someone there?” He felt ridiculous asking the question, but a sudden and unshakable feeling of being watched crawled up his spine. The woods were silent again.

A few berries still hung off the bushes, but instead of testing his luck, he scooped the basket off the ground and walked back to the cottage, his pace faster than normal. When he reached the door, he scanned the treeline one more time before entering the cottage, the same unnerving feeling of being watched prickling on the back of his neck.

Bookman was out of bed and sitting at the table, tea in hand as he gingerly sipped the steaming liquid. He looked up as Lavi entered, dark-rimmed eyes focused on the basket. “You still know your way around the gardens, I see.”

The longer Lavi spent in the company of his grandfather, the more he felt like a petulant child. He sighed and set the basket on the table before raiding the cupboards for more ingredients. “Contrary to popular belief, living in the city didn’t completely dilute my common sense. I still know when vegetables are ripe.”

Bookman waved off the reply and took another sip of tea. “What are you making me?”

“Tossed greens, considering we have all this spinach and lettuce.” Lavi plucked a jar of dried walnuts from the cabinet, then continued his search, looking for anything that would pair well with the meal he had planned. “Do we still have some of those dandelions I picked yesterday?”

With a nod, Bookman stood and ambled across the cottage, grabbing the handful of weeds from a different basket. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Lavi tried to focus on preparing their late lunch, but that nagging feeling at the base of his skull refused to abate. He glanced out the small windows, still uneasy. He’d felt like someone had been watching him— _was still watching him_.

Then, the memory of Tyki and their chance meeting stole away his thoughts. “Hey, Gramps,” he began as he chopped the tomato on the cutting board. “Do you have any neighbors?”

Bookman scoffed as he went about cleaning the lettuce. “Neighbors? What would the point be of living all the way out here just to have neighbors?”

“So, no one lives around here?”

“No. The townsfolk don’t like this forest. They think it’s too dangerous to live in.” Bookman glanced up at Lavi. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Lavi replied with a level tone, not wanting to tip his grandfather off as to the true nature of his question. “Everyone must think you’re crazy to live out here.”

“They’re all a bunch of children.” Bookman laughed as he ripped up the greens before tossing them in a bowl. “They worry about spirits in the forest, instead of the wolves.”

Wolves… Lavi recalled their conversation yesterday. Bookman had mentioned people disappearing at night, and while the townsfolk suspected magical beasts committing the acts, his grandfather was more pragmatic. He added the chopped tomatoes to the bowl and grabbed a few of the walnuts to chop. “Have you seen any wolves around?”

“No, but I’ve heard them howling at night. They’re more active when the moon is full.” He was quiet for a long moment, the sound of Lavi’s knife dully hitting the cutting board filling the silence. “Make sure to be careful when you travel back and forth from town.”

“I will, Gramps. You know I will.” Lavi brushed off the concern, but a moment later, Bookman’s hand was on his wrist, stilling his movements. He looked up and saw the deep worry in his eyes.

“I’m serious, Lavi. Stay on the road and don’t travel at night. I don’t want the wolves to take you, too.”

Lavi faltered before slapping on a grin that stretched too wide on his face. “Don’t worry so much, old man.” He went back to chopping walnuts for the salad. “I’ll be fine.” He ignored that sinking feeling in his guts, the one that reminded him of Tyki and just how little he knew about the man who’d nestled so firmly into his thoughts after one fleeting kiss.

 

xXxXxXx

 

_The wolves are charming, they say. Their tongues spill honeyed words and their eyes will pierce your soul. Look too deep into their eyes, and you will lose yourself in them._

 

xXxXxXx

 

Even after Bookman’s warnings, Lavi left the cottage late again. A light rain drizzled down over him as he trekked through the forest, following the road as his grandfather had reminded him to do. With his red hood up, he moved at a slow pace, slower than he should’ve. He knew he shouldn’t be out at night, and that he needed to hurry back to the inn where he was safe, but…

The thought of running into Tyki again was too tempting.

Instead of rushing home, he lingered—stopping every so often to pick herbs he saw on the sides of the road, or wild berries and plants he’d recognized. Before he realized it, the sun was setting, and he was still half a mile from town. With the rain still misting down on him, leaving his cloak damp and heavy, he gave up on the nigh impossible likelihood of running into Tyki again, and instead focused on getting back.

As the sun faded and the moon rose, Lavi heard a familiar voice behind him. It left the hair on his neck and arms standing on end. “Still running around after dark, I see.”

With a chill in his limbs, Lavi turned around and saw Tyki standing only a few feet behind him and looking too handsome for someone traipsing around in the rain without a proper cloak. He bit his lip to hide the smile threatening to break out on his face, even as his heart raced in his chest with uncertainty. “Still following me around, I see.” He threw Tyki’s words back at him, pushing the hood of his cloak back so he could see better.

“Following? Now, that’s a rather harsh accusation.” Tyki closed the gap between them until Lavi could see the drops of rain beaded on his dark skin. “And here I thought you would be pleased to run into me for the second night in a row.”

“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Lavi admitted, the truth falling easily off his tongue.

“I was just in the neighborhood.” He ran his fingers along the edge of Lavi’s hood, lips quirked in the smallest of smirks. “Saw you were out after dark again and figured I might lend my assistance. But you seem more oriented this time around.”

Lavi curled his chilled fingers against his hips, trying to keep his gaze off of Tyki’s. His eyes were hypnotic, like ripples flowing on a calm water’s surface, and a deep, rich gold. Lavi wondered if the color was a trick of the dim light. “Thank you again, for last night,” he began, still trying to avoid looking into those pools of liquid gold. “You left so fast, I didn’t get to properly say goodbye.”

Tyki licked his lips before smiling, his white teeth bright even in the dark. “Sorry. I had other things to attend to.”

“At night in the woods?”

“Night is when the world comes alive, Red.”

The nickname gave Lavi pause, and blinked before finally meeting Tyki’s gaze. “Red?”

With a chuckle, Tyki gently tugged on the hood of his red cloak. “Yeah. You seem rather attached to the color.”

Lavi blushed and averted his gaze. “Well, it’s functional. And the only cloak I own.”

“Good thing it looks amazing on you.”

The flush Lavi’s cheeks darkened. He cleared his throat, then wiped at a stray raindrop hanging on the tip his nose. “Ah, anyway… You were just out walking again? Even in this rain?”

“The rain doesn’t bother me,” Tyki said, still watching Lavi like he wanted to devour him. “And, I must admit, I was hoping to catch you on the road again”

Lavi’s heart thudded against his ribs, nearly jumping right out of his chest. “You were? Why?”

“To see you, of course.”

“Well,” Lavi began, his gaze shifting back to Tyki’s. “I’m here.” He felt that nervous hum along his limbs, a warning of danger, of something he knew he should avoid, but he didn’t retreat or push Tyki away. Instead he felt himself move closer, transfixed by those honey-colored eyes.

“So you are.” Tyki rested his hand on Lavi’s cheek, thumb caressing along his wet skin with a gentleness that left the redhead weak in the knees.

Lavi’s breath caught in his throat as Tyki leaned in, capturing his lips with a heated kiss. One hand curled against Tyki’s chest, fingers tugging the damp fabric, while the other rested on his hip. He lost himself to the kiss, knees weak and body pliant. Even with his own skin chilled from the rain, Tyki’s body radiated a heat that burned him up and left goosebumps on his arms and neck. Tyki’s mouth was hot and wet as he claimed Lavi’s, and though he knew he should use caution, Lavi tilted his head back and let Tyki deepen the kiss.

He’d never been kissed like this before—with abandon and excitement and a deep-seated need, with want and desire all rolled together until it boiled in his veins and left him desperate for more. A soft whine crawled up his throat when Tyki pulled him closer, a hand on his lower back. He knew this wasn’t right—kissing a stranger in the woods outside of town—but his body had other plans. It reacted to Tyki’s touch, his voice, the look in his eyes that bordered on dangerous.

Lavi had never wanted someone so bad in his life.

When Tyki drew back, lips wet and red from the kiss, he smiled softly. “Stay with me for a bit, won’t you?” he asked, voice warm and silken. It drew Lavi in deeper. “I promise you a good time.”

The offer sent a pleasant heat pooling in Lavi’s stomach. He swallowed, hoping not to look too eager. “We could go back to my room at the inn?” he suggested, voice husky and thick with need. “The rain seems to be getting worse, and—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Tyki grabbed the front of his cloak and led him off the road. The wet ferns and grass slapped at his Lavi’s knees as they traipsed into the forest, the town still a stone’s throw away. Lavi swayed as Tyki pulled him deeper into the trees, face flushed and hands clammy. He stopped just under a large pine tree, protected from the rain under the branches, and pulled Lavi against his chest, kissing him again.

The kiss grew rough, urgent, and Lavi melted into the attention like a desperate whore. In the back of his mind, he reminded himself what a terrible idea this was—that he barely knew Tyki and even after all the warnings his friends and grandfather had given him, he continued to ignore the voice in his head that screamed _something is wrong_. Still, he craved more.

Lavi’s fingers dug into the soaked fabric of Tyki’s shirt, tugging at the clothing and pulling him closer. The way Tyki’s hips slotted against his own and how perfectly his tongue filled his mouth overwhelmed him, but at the same time, he couldn’t stop. He didn’t want to stop. Tyki pushed him against the trunk of the pine tree, and used the leverage to rock his hips against Lavi’s. The hardness in his pants brushed up against Tyki’s, and his stomach dropped low, warmth spreading through his guts and heating his chilled skin.

Tyki’s hand slid down along the front of Lavi’s pants until his palm pressed against the bulge barely concealed behind the taut fabric. He hummed, appreciative of the hard heat trapped behind the wet trousers. He rubbed against it, dragging muffled moans from Lavi’s throat—hungry, desperate noises that he’d never made with anyone else before. In that moment, Lavi knew he wanted whatever Tyki had in store for him. He craved it.

“Ah, Tyki,” Lavi whined when their lips parted. He rested his forehead against Tyki’s shoulder, arching into his touch—never quite getting enough.

Just as Tyki moved to slip his fingers into the edge of Lavi’s pants, panicked bleating echoed from the field not far from where they were tucked away. Lavi looked up, just making out the source of the sound as he peered through the trees. Sheep from the farm on the edge of town were riled up, though due to what, Lavi couldn’t tell. They were running in distressed circles around their corral. The sheepdogs barked, their shrill voices louder than the upset sheep.

“What’s going on?” he mumbled, still half in a haze.

Tyki pulled his lips off Lavi’s neck and watched the commotion. He frowned ever-so-slightly before turning back to Lavi, giving him a soft smile. “Close your eye, Red.”

Biting back the myriad of questions dancing on his tongue, he did as asked. As soon as his eyelid closed, Tyki kissed him again. It was as gentle as their first kiss the day before, and the sweetness of it sent Lavi’s heart fluttering in his chest. It ended only after a few seconds, Tyki pulling completely away from him. When Lavi opened his eye again, Tyki had disappeared like ghost.

Lavi stepped away from the tree, glancing around the forest, but Tyki was nowhere in sight. With his pants too tight and his skin flushed from excitement, he sighed and headed back into town.

 

xXxXxXx

 

_The wolves will call to you, they say. They will lure you into the forest, and whisper promises in your ear. They will tell you what you want to hear to bring you under their spell._

xXxXxXx

 

The waxing moon filtered in through Lavi’s window as he scribbled on the parchment at his desk. Lamplight burned low, too low for reading and writing without eye strain. He’d come back to the inn later than normal after visiting with his grandfather, and needed to stay up to finish manuscripts for his publisher. He’d promised to have them in the mail yesterday, but had been too busy to complete them. Taking care of Bookman, even with his health getting better each day, ate at Lavi’s time. His publisher knew he was busy taking care of his grandfather, but he’d said he would keep up with his work regardless. With his work falling behind, he feared he’d lose his only source of income.

Setting the quill in the inkwell, Lavi sighed and rubbed his face, ink-stained fingers tense. He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling, the bare rafters as uninspiring as they had been when he’d started at them not twenty minutes ago.

Slapping his cheeks with both hands, he shook his head and looked back down at his manuscript. Writer’s block had nagged him like a horse looking for treats in its owners pocket—incessant, persistent, _annoying_. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t keep his focus long enough to finish a paragraph, let alone a whole chapter. His publisher would fire him for certain.

After another minute of self-flagellation, he grabbed the quill once more, hoping to put ink to paper. But before he could make the first stroke, a scratching noise came from his window.

Lavi paused, his bleary vision turning to the closed window pane. He was on the second floor of the inn, and no one should’ve been able to reach the window to scratch at it—human or otherwise. Even after a long minute of staring at the pane, all he could see was a dark void beyond.

“Great, now you’re hearing things,” Lavi mumbled to himself as he turned back to his work. “Maybe you should just sleep.”

The scratching continued as soon as he moved to write again. Lavi stared, straining to see anything at the window, but seeing nothing. His chest filled with disquiet, heart thumping faster than normal. Gritting his teeth and swallowing down his unease, he stood and walked to the window. His fingers hesitated at the sill before yanking the window up.

Nothing—the scratching had ceased. He could see no animals near the window or anything else that might have caused the sound.

“I _really_ should just go to bed.” He lifted his hand to close the window again when a long, deep howl echoed in the night. Lavi froze, then looked down around the inn. Again, he saw nothing. The moon spilled soft light around the town, and yet Lavi could see nothing. The howl pierced through the night once more, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

A thought came to his mind, unbidden as he stared out into the black—an image of long, curly hair and deep golden eyes. Lavi’s mouth dried up, his breath coming in long and ragged. He didn’t know why, but that sound—the haunting echo of a wolf’s howl—reminded him of Tyki. He tried to swallow, throat tight and dry, and pulled away from the window.

In a haze, he slipped into his boots and left his bedroom, silently padding down the hallway until he found the exit. He didn’t know what had overcome him, or why he felt the overwhelming need to follow the sound. His feet moved on their own, leading him through the deserted streets and out towards the forest. He followed the trail, heart hammering in his chest with each step he took.

As he entered the forest, the thick line of tree obscuring the sky from view, he heard a familiar voice call to him. “Fancy seeing you here, Red.”

Tyki’s sudden appearance startled him, and he stood stiffly watching as he moved closer. He hadn’t realized he’d reached the forest until Tyki spoke to him, the haze lifting from his mind. He shook his head, but before he could voice his confusion, Tyki’s hand was already smoothing over his cheek, thumb brushing over his freckled skin.

Lavi swallowed, starting at Tyki’s chest to keep from meeting his eyes. “You scared me. I thought you were a wild animal.”

“Hmm,” Tyki mumbled leaning close to whisper into his ear. “Maybe I am.”

Shaking his head, Lavi tried to recall exactly how he’d gotten here, how he’d managed to make it from his room at the inn and to the forest, but his usually perfect memory failed him. His hands trembled as he reached for Tyki’s dirty, buttoned shirt. “How did I get here?” he asked, daring to look up into Tyki’s honey eyes. “I don’t… I don’t remember.”

“Does it matter?” Tyki asked back, evading the question. He brushed his thumb over Lavi’s lips, teasing the delicate skin. “You’re here now.”

 Lavi closed his good eye, a shiver running down his spine and leaving goosebumps along his skin. He bit his lip, stifling a moan. “I haven’t seen you in a while. You disappeared.”

Tyki pulled him closer until their bodies were flush, a hand on his hip. “I’ve been busy,” he explained, vague as usual. “But I missed seeing you—and I was not pleased with how we left things last time.”

“Last time?” Lavi thought back to their last meeting, his cheeks bursting into a ruddy hue. Tyki had kissed him silly, and had pawed at him until they were both strained in their trousers. But nothing came of it—they’d been interrupted, and Tyki disappeared before anything else could happen. When Lavi had returned to his room at the inn, he’d stroked himself until he’d came, staining his pants and leaving his head fuzzy and sated. It felt nice, but nothing like it could’ve been with Tyki—like he’d wanted it to be.

The question drew Tyki’s lips to Lavi’s, stealing his breath with a rough kiss. His tongue delved into Lavi’s mouth, claiming it for his own as he rutted himself against the redhead. Lavi fell into the embrace, arms wrapped around Tyki’s waist and fingers clinging to his loose shirt. He moaned in appreciation, the sound rumbling in the back of his throat as Tyki numbed Lavi’s common sense into non-existence. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know how he got here or why—all that mattered was that Tyki was kissing him, and everything he touched felt _right_.

Pulling back only far enough to speak, Tyki grinned. “You’re so cold, little Red.”

“Ah, sorry,” Lavi mumbled back, their lips brushing against each other’s, shared breaths fogging in the night air.

“Would you like me to warm you up?”

Lavi’s lips trembled as he answered, “Yes.”

Tyki grabbed the back of Lavi’s neck, hand cupped against his flesh, burning with desire and need. Their lips met in another kiss, more heated this time, sloppy with mutual desire. Lavi let out a soft, surprised noise in the back of his throat as Tyki pushed him deeper into the trees. After a few fumbling steps, they fell back amongst the ferns. Lavi stared up at Tyki, lips parted as he caught his breath. Tyki’s eyes bore down into him, shining like golden gems in the night. He shivered against the heavy stare.

Grass and fallen leaves tickled his skin as Tyki dove in to kiss along Lavi’s neck, leaving deep bruises along his collarbone and shoulders. His pale, freckled flesh bruised easily, and Tyki took advantage of it. With his mouth free, Lavi gasped and mewled at each touch, his hips arching into Tyki’s. Their mutual arousals rubbed together through their pants, stiff and begging for release.

“Ah, Tyki,” Lavi whined through red, bitten lips as Tyki pinned him to the damp, cool ground. Tyki’s skin burned hot like a campfire against his, warm and earthy. Lavi stared up at the sky through the canopy above, stars twinkling in the twilight.

Slowly, Tyki moved down, pushing Lavi’s shirt up and quickly undoing his pants. He kissed down Lavi’s torso, lips burning a hot line down his stomach until he reached the edge of his pants. Without pausing to take a breath, he pushed the pants down Lavi’s thighs. His cock sprang up once freed, hard and red, with a hefty drop of pre-cum oozing from the slit.

 Lavi swallowed, his eye half-lidded as he watched Tyki lick his lips before slipping Lavi’s cock into his mouth.  The wet, scorching heat of Tyki’s mouth engulfed him, and he bucked into that delicious touch.

Tyki’s lips pushed and pulled over Lavi’s dick, sliding up and down the shaft, slicking up the rigid flesh. Each slide of his mouth on Lavi dragged more pleased noises from the redhead. His tongue smoothed along the underside of the pulsing member, pre-cum dancing on his tongue as he teased the sensitive flesh.

“Oh, God,” Lavi mumbled under his breath, barely able to keep his hips still as Tyki pleasured him. He slipped a hand into Tyki’s long, curly locks, the black strands threaded between his fingers as he gently tugged. He’d never felt this good before—never so free and wild.

Humming against the throbbing shaft in his mouth, Tyki squeezed Lavi’s hip with his free hand while the other supported his weight. Nails dug into the skin, leaving deep, red crescents along his flesh. 

Lavi rocked into Tyki’s mouth as he sucked him in, his cock brushing the back of Tyki’s throat. His stomach knotted up in a tight coil, desire and need festering in his guts and begging for release. Common sense and reason had dissipated from his mind long ago, leaving him with nothing but a hunger for release. He whispered half-words and groans as Tyki pleasured him, his warm, welcoming mouth dragging him closer to the precipice. Lavi closed his eye tight, heart hammering in his chest and face flushed bright red. The tightness in his lower abdomen grew taut, clenched with excitement. He took in a breath, hot and heavy—then another, and another. And then, it snapped.

He came into Tyki’s mouth with a loud moan, his strained voice echoing between the trees. Fighting to catch his breath, Lavi lay back against the grass and ferns, chest heaving as Tyki pulled off his spent cock. Cum stained his lips and chin, and he nonchalantly wiped it with the back of his hand as he crawled over Lavi’s sweaty and trembling body.

 “You taste even better than I expected,” Tyki whispered as he stared down at Lavi, a smirk spreading over his face. He stroked Lavi’s hair, fingers soft and delicate as they smoothed over his temple and jaw.

Lavi parted his lips to reply, but the haze returned, fogging his mind and muddling his thoughts. He fought it, struggled to reply, but before he could utter a single syllable, he closed his eyes and everything went black.

 

Light streaked across Lavi’s face, hitting him square in his good eye. He groaned and turned, blocking out the intrusive beams. As he lay there, his mind slowly pulling itself together, flashes of his indecent encounter with Tyki filtered in. The images grew clearer, sharper in his mind, until lucidity came onto him like a brick to the face. He bolted upright, eye wide as he gasped, expecting to still be amongst the ferns and grass he’d fallen asleep in. Instead, he saw the familiar walls of his room at the inn. Hands grasping at the sheets, he fumbled around in his head for any indication as to what had happened last night, or how he’d returned to his bed, but he drew a blank. He couldn’t remember anything after he’d passed out.

“A dream,” he breathed out, barely audible as he rubbed his face with both hands. He fought to soothe his rambling thoughts. “Just a dream. A very vivid dream.”

He stumbled out of bed, the sheets catching on his shoes as he fought to stand. He must’ve been so out of it, he’d forgotten to undress. Heaving a sigh, he moved to the wash basin and dipped his hands into the water, splashing it on his face to wake himself up. The cool water sent a jolt through his spine, shaking loose the last of the dream’s hold on him. He didn’t have time for fantasy—he needed to finish his work.

Groping for the hand towel, he snatched it off the edge of the table once his fingers found purchase and dried his face, then looked into the small mirror set above the washing station. Cheeks flushed, he rubbed the towel over his chin and neck to dry the last of the water from his skin. As he pulled the towel away, a mark on his neck gave him pause.

Tugging the collar of his shirt, he examined the mark, and found more. Dark bruises, purple and red in color, littered his neck. He swallowed, throat tight as he examined more of his skin. He couldn’t figure out where he’d gotten them or what had caused them, except—

Except that the marks were in the same place Tyki had sucked and bit his neck in his dream.

Lavi stared, breath stilled in his chest, lips trembling as he lowered the towel from his neck. It had to have been a dream. There was no way he could've gotten home on his own, and Tyki didn’t know where he was staying in town, did he? He gingerly touched each mark, rubbing his fingertips over it, as if the color might smear off, like it was all some practical joke. But the bruises stayed, and Lavi had no explanation for it unless… unless last night’s events had not been a dream.

Not willing to give it another thought, Lavi grabbed his scarf from the peg near the door and headed downstairs for breakfast, curling the orange fabric around his neck to hide the marks from sight.

 

xXxXxXx

 

 _Once under their spell, you won_ _’t be able to resist, they say. You’ll think about the wolf, dream about them, until it consumes you whole._

 

xXxXxXx

 

A yawn escaped Lavi’s mouth, and he covered it with a hand before reaching for his coffee. Lenalee slid a bowl of oatmeal in front of him as she sat down to join him and Allen at the breakfast table. The dining hall was near empty, only a few customers lingering for a late breakfast before going about their days. Allen was on his second plate of corned-beef and hash when Lenalee spoke up, a mug of herbal tea in her hands.

“You’re always so tired in the morning,” she commented, looking over Lavi like a doting mother. “You need to get more rest.”

“The creative mind never rests,” Lavi said with a tired grin before taking another long swig of his coffee. The bitter liquid warmed his belly, and he hoped the caffeine would kick in before he finished breakfast. He’d planned on abstaining from trekking out to his grandfather’s cottage that day, especially since the weather had turned hotter. He could get a few errands done after breakfast and spend the rest of the day hidden away in his room writing.

Allen chuckled before finishing off the last bite on his plate, then shook his head. “You’re so full of shit.”

Lavi elbowed his side, shooting him a glare. “You know, I don’t _have_ to eat with you two.”

“But if you don’t, you’ll look so pathetic eating alone.” Allen snitched one of the blueberries off of Lavi’s oatmeal before dodging another jab to his side.

Lenalee rolled her eyes as she rested her elbows on the table. “What have you been up to? We’ve barely seen you and you’ve been here almost three weeks already.”

“Yeah, are you avoiding us?” Allen asked, a smirk on his face as he plucked another berry from Lavi’s untouched oatmeal.

Sipping his coffee, Lavi glanced out the window next to their table. “I’m not avoiding you. You know I’m busy with Gramps and all. Plus, I still have to keep up with the work for my publisher.”

“Has Bookman been getting better?” Allen asked, trying to pinch one more berry from the bowl. This time, Lavi snatched his breakfast away before he had the chance.

“Much better.” He stirred the fruit into the brown mush, hoping to dissuade Allen from trying to steal anymore food. “The doctor wants to keep him of his feet for a few more weeks, but he’s doing well.”

“What I’m hearing is that we got you at least until the end of the month,” Lenalee said, grinning excitedly. “We’ll have to find time to do something together.”

“Yeah, you can’t come to visit for this long and not give us _some_ of your time, Lavi.” Allen nudged him with his shoulder, the bright smile on his face never wavering.

He _had_ been distracted and busy during his stay in town so far. Lavi couldn’t fault Allen or Lenalee for wanting his time as well. Between caring for his grandfather and keeping up with his writing, he barely had time to think, let alone spend quality time with his old friends.

And then there was the strange incidents with Tyki that had plagued his mind.

They had left Lavi more shaken than he’d realized. Whenever his mind wandered, it drew him back to those encounters. Tyki’s hot mouth on his, the feel of damp clothes and hard flesh… It’d been awhile since he’d seen the man, if he didn’t count the last odd meeting. He still hadn’t been able to tell if it had been real or a dream. Frankly, Lavi had trouble discerning either for a while now.

Visions of golden eyes and curled, dark hair consumed his thoughts, whether he was awake or asleep. It was irrational, foolish, but for as many times as he’d silently berated himself for his sudden and fast infatuation with this veritable stranger, Lavi couldn’t help himself. He wanted more.

He squashed the flame of desire burning in his stomach and matched Allen’s grin. There was no way he could tell them about his late night trysts with Tyki. They’d think he was crazy. “Yeah, I know. I just need to get some rest first. It’s too loud at night to sleep well.”

Lenalee blinked, tilting her head to the side. “Too loud? Are some of your neighbors causing a ruckus at night? I can talk with them, if that’s the case.”

“No, they’re fine. It’s the howling that’s bothering me.”

Allen and Lenalee exchanged confused glances. “Howling?” Allen asked.

“There’s no way you couldn’t hear it,” Lavi said, glancing back and forth between his friends. “I shut my windows and even that didn’t ease the sound.”

Lenalee shook her head. “I didn’t hear anything.”

“Neither did I.”

Their sincere replies unnerved Lavi, but he swallowed down his unease. “You two must be heavy sleepers, then.” Taking another long gulp of coffee, he stood, leaving his oatmeal untouched. “I need to get to the post before the mail goes out today. I’ll see you later.”

“Lavi, what about breakfast?” Lenalee called out. She and Allen watched him hurry off out the door.

“Allen can have it,” he replied over his shoulder, slipping away before they could ask any more questions.

 

xXxXxXx

 

 _You_ _’ll lose yourself in them, they say. Reality and dreams will be one in the same. The wolf will confuse you until you don’t know up from down, right from wrong._

 

xXxXxXx

 

He couldn’t stop thinking about Tyki.

Every night, visions came to Lavi unbidden. Dark skin, darker hair. Golden eyes, rough lips. Strong hands, a deliciously caramel voice. He couldn’t purge it from his mind, from the fiber of his being. Tyki had encompassed his thoughts, his every waking moment. And sleep only brought on more sinful delights. Lavi couldn’t tell if the images haunting his mind when he woke were dream or reality, but the marks on his body made him doubt his sanity.

Each night the wolves would howl, and each night Lavi would close his windows and try to ignore the sound. But as the noise persisted, it drew him out, and he would follow the sound into the woods. Under the waxing moon, he slipped past trees and bushes until he found Tyki. They spent hours together past the witching hour, bodies pressed tight and lips burning across sweat-slicked skin. But it was never enough, never more than a teasing touch to take the edge off before he lost consciousness and woke back in his room again. It frustrated him to no end.

Shaking the vexing thoughts from his head, Lavi attempted to focus on the task at hand—picking carrots from the garden. Bookman sat next to him on a stool he’d brought out from the cottage, plucking fresh beans from the vines growing up the side of the fence. His grandfather had almost regained his full health in the month that Lavi had been in town. He knew he could go home soon, return to the city and to his job, but…

“Don’t pick those carrots if they’re too small,” Bookman chided, not even looking at Lavi or his work as he continued picking beans and dropping them into the bucket at his feet.

Lavi sighed, heavy and irritated as he let go of the feathery green carrot tops poking out from the soil. “How am I supposed to know if the carrot is too small? It’s all underground.”

“Check the carrot’s shoulders,” Bookman replied, popping off a few more beans as he spoke. “They should be about three quarters of an inch wide.”

“Carrots don’t have shoulders.”

Bookman shot him a glare, finally pausing his work long enough to berate his grandchild. “The orange bit that’s sticking out of the soil. The top of the carrot.”

With a frown, Lavi drug around a few of the larger carrots, squinting at the vegetables as he tried to decide which to pick. “Why don’t you just say ‘the top of the carrot’ instead of speaking your weird gardening language,” he mumbled, pulling his first carrot from the ground. He brushed off the loose dirt before tossing it into his wicker basket.

Bookman’s glare intensified, but he didn’t snap back a reply like Lavi expected. Instead, he continued plucking the ripe beans from the vines, face set tight and serious. They worked quietly after that, only the bluejays and grackles to interrupt the silence. Distracted with pulling carrots, Lavi didn’t notice how the old man’s look softened until he spoke again.

“You’re leaving tomorrow, I take it?”

Lavi paused, a freshly unearthed carrot in his hands and he returned Bookman’s gaze. “Ah, yeah.” He fumbled with his words, a lump suddenly forming in his throat. “I need to get back to work. I’m not sure my boss could handle another week with me out of town.”

With a huff, Bookman picked the beans again, a frown on his face. “Eager to leave, are you?”

“Well, I _have_ been away for a month.” Lavi busied himself picking carrots again, taking too much time to mull over each one before pulling it loose from the soil.

“That’s not an answer,” Bookman replied. Lavi looked up at him, hands still in the dirt. Gramps didn’t bother returning his curious gaze. “I asked if you’re excited to go back to the city, not whether it was time to return.”

“Of course I’m excited,” Lavi answered automatically, the words slipping off his tongue as if he’d practiced them in his head a hundred times. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Now there’s a good question,” Bookman added, an amused smirk on his face. “Why wouldn’t you be excited to go back?”

The question hung between them, and for once, Lavi didn’t know how to answer.

Of course, there were the obvious reasons to stick around—his grandfather and friends were here. Sure, he had friends in the city, plenty in fact, but he’d never felt as close to them as Lenalee and Allen. And Gramps, well, he was the only family Lavi had left. He’d gone to the city for work, and to escape the boring, day-to-day lull of small town life. But eight years was a long time to be gone from home, and no matter how nice his place in the city was or how exciting his job became, it never felt like home.

Home was an abstract feeling, though, and he knew in another month, the boredom would set in. Gardening with Gramps and wandering around town was only interesting for so long. He would feel the call of the city before long—the lights, the people, the excitement. It was best that he left tomorrow morning as planned.

And yet, he wavered.

A twisted blend of curiosity and lust left him doubting is plans to return to the city tomorrow. Would his nightly excursions come to a close after he left town? As unnerving as they were, Lavi couldn’t help feel a flush of excitement at the thought of meeting Tyki in the forest as he’d done night after night for the past few weeks. Whether dream or reality, each tantalizing rendezvous only deepened the well of need pooled in Lavi’s guts. That, more than anything else, had him rethinking his plans to return to the city, as desperate and selfish as it sounded. Even in the confines of his own mind, he loathed to admit how depraved he felt.

Pushing the thoughts away, he let out a derisive snort and ripped another carrot from the ground. “Trust me. I don’t want to spend another day weeding your gardens and listening to you complain about my cooking.”

“Feh. If you learned how to cook without burning the food, I wouldn’t complain.” Bookman stood, stretching his aching limbs. Lavi heard a few dull pops as the old man worked the kinks out of his back and hips. “Besides, I’m getting tired of seeing your sour face every day.” He picked up the bucket of beans and headed back to the cottage.

Lavi watched him leave and shook his head, an amused grin on his face. He would miss the old man when he left.

 

xXxXxXx

 

 _The spell is unbreakable, they say. Once you_ _’re under the wolf’s charms, you cannot escape._

 

xXxXxXx

 

Sleep came in fits and bursts as Lavi tossed in bed. Tomorrow came his departure, and with it, an end to his reckless tryst with the stranger he met in the forest. On the walk back to town, after his last visit with his grandfather, he’d swore to ignore the urge to wander into the woods that night, no matter what. But as the sun set and the full moon rose in the ink black sky, his resolve wavered.

The first howl echoed in his room as the clock struck midnight.

Lavi broke out into a sweat, his green eye wide as he stared up at the ceiling. Mouth dry and hot, he couldn’t find enough spit to swallow. He held his breath, listening, waiting for the next howl—the next call to him. It came quickly, less than a minute after the first, and louder. Squeezing his eyes shut and plugging his ears, Lavi tried to drown out the howling noise. But the more he fought it, the clearer it sounded. He felt the wet heat of something breathing down his neck, heard the howling, the _growling_ , as if it were right next to him. With panicked breaths, he curled in on himself and pulled his pillow over his head. Still, the sounds grew louder.

“Please stop,” Lavi begged under his breath as he cradled the pillow to his head. “I can’t do this anymore.” He grit his teeth, feeling the slow, steady pull of the sound on his very soul. It tugged at him, cajoled him, until a voice cut through the noise.

_—Lavi—_

Lavi sucked in a breath, his good eye opening with a start. The howling ceased, as if it had been a figment the entire time. He didn’t move from the bed. He listened, straining his ears to hear that sweet voice again.

_—Lavi, come to me—_

He felt the tug immediately, the deep need to follow the voice, to do as it asked, to _please_ it. He’d made the choice to stay out of the woods and be done with Tyki, but perhaps it was never his choice to make. He breathed, slow and calming, like gentle waves on a lake. Slowly, he unfurled himself from the blankets, his bare feet touching the floor, soles soaking up the chill from the floorboards.

He walked to the door in a haze, grabbing his red cloak from the hook on the wall, but leaving his boots behind. In his nightclothes, he wandered into the hallway and out the inn. Only half-conscious of where he was going, Lavi stumbled down the dirt road leading out of town and towards the forest. With shaking hands, he clutched the cloak tight around his shoulders, bare feet chilled and aching as he walked. The night air grew quiet as he neared the tree line—no owls nor insects nor nocturnal animals to be found. The rational sliver of Lavi’s brain that hadn’t been overcome with a single-minded desire to follow the voice knew that something was wrong. It shouldn’t have been so quiet—the forest was always alive and loud, no matter what time of the day or night.

Twigs and dry leaves crunched underfoot as Lavi left the path. His breath fogged in the cool night air, lips trembling as he followed the voice.

_—Closer—_

He didn’t know where he was going, or how he managed to navigate in his drugged state, but as he reached a clearing deep in the forest, he paused, feet sinking into soft, cool grass. The moon shone down on the tiny meadow, a soft glow touching everything under its light. When Lavi looked up, out of breath and shivering, he saw him, the owner of the voice in his head, the voice tempting him with carnal pleasures and sinful deeds.

“Tyki,” Lavi said, voice barely above a whisper.

“You made it, Red. I was starting to get worried.” Tyki sat under a willow tree, dressed in the same threadbare pants and buttoned shirt Lavi had seen him in these past few weeks, as if he had no other clothes to wear. His golden eyes narrowed, sharp even in the faint light of the moon. “Come here.”

Those two words felt like the pull of twenty horses. Lavi crossed the expanse of meadow with stumbling steps, feet sore and aching from walking without shoes. When he was within arms reach of Tyki, his legs gave out, and he collapsed on the ground, panting and out of breath as if he’d run a marathon. His chest ached with each inhalation, yet even as sore as he was, he met Tyki’s gaze, heart pounding in his chest.

“Why?” he asked, between heavy breaths, brows knitted tight in confusion. “Why am I here? Why do you keep calling me here?” As it always did, the haze surrounding his mind cleared the closer he got to Tyki. His thoughts grew coherent, yet he still couldn’t voice all the questions swirling about his head.

Tyki smirked, the corner of a tooth poking past the seam of his lips. “Isn’t it obvious?” Reaching out, he stroked the side of Lavi’s face, rough hands curving along the line of his jaw.

Weak to the touch, Lavi leaned into it, his eye fluttering closed for a brief second as a sigh escaped past his lips. He warmed to the gentle pressure of Tyki’s hand on his cheek, the tense, stiffness in his limbs melting away like snow on warm spring day. When his gaze met Tyki’s again, he took in a breath to speak, but before he could utter a single syllable, Tyki’s lips were on his in a fiery kiss.

Lavi’s stifled gasp turned into a moan, his hands seeking out Tyki’s form as he leaned into the kiss. Tyki grabbed his hips, pulling Lavi into his lap and he slid his fingers into Tyki’s long, tangled mess of hair. While the fog his brain had been in earlier had cleared, his thoughts now jumbled together from the heat burning inside. Why did he want to avoid this? He couldn’t quite remember, not with Tyki’s tongue in his mouth and those large hands on his ass. Hunger clenched his guts tight, lust hanging low in his belly the longer Tyki’s lips were on his. Desperation clung to him like the perfume of a lover, and he rocked his hips against Tyki’s, already lost in passion.

Just like every time before, Lavi felt his inhibitions wane as Tyki found more and more pleasing ways to touch his body. In the harsh light of day, it was easy to chide himself silently for crumbling under such base desires. But in the dark of the night, he could do nothing but lay back and let Tyki taste every inch of his body as if he were his last meal. No one had satisfied him like this before—no one had driven him mad with hunger until he ached to be touched.

Tyki pushed Lavi down against the grass, breaking their kiss. He began to strip Lavi of his clothing—first undoing the ties of his cloak, then pulling his shirt, slowly revealing his chest to the cold night air. “You were going to leave,” he said, accusation in his voice. Tossing Lavi’s shirt off, he worked on his pants, unclasping them and slipping them down his legs. Tyki’s eyes never left Lavi’s, even after his clothes had been discarded like unwanted trash.

Swallowing, Lavi took another heavy breath. His skin prickled under Tyki’s fixated gaze, a shiver climbing up his spine and leaving him on edge. He didn’t know how to answer.

Leaning in closer, Tyki held Lavi down by the shoulders, sliding between his legs. “Stay here with me.”

The words were simple, direct, but made his heart skip a beat. It was a traitorous thought, one he shouldn’t put an ounce of consideration to. “I—” he began, closing his eye in a futile attempt to regain a shred of self-control. “I can’t.”

Tyki stared, unmoving for a long moment, and Lavi waited with bated breath. He expected Tyki to argue, to say something— _anything_ —but he stayed silent. Suddenly, the pressure on his shoulders lessened. Glancing up, he watched as Tyki stripped the clothes from his body; shirt first, then pants. The sight left Lavi breathless as he stared at flawless dark skin glowing under the moonlight. Tyki has never shown himself fully before, and Lavi has only been granted a few, quick glimpses of the stunning body hidden under those ratty clothes. Seeing him like this, nude and hovering so close, close enough to touch, sent a jolt of heat into stomach. His cock twitched in the cool night air and his fingers dug into the grass under him.

When Tyki met his gaze again, the intensity hit him like a punch to the chest. “Stay with me,” he repeated, voice low and filled with hunger, “And I will make you mine.”

Lavi trembled, a hand reaching out to touch the perfect skin of Tyki’s bare chest. “...Yours?” he asked, the word coming out in a whisper.

Tucking his face into the crook of Lavi’s neck, Tyki licked along the tender flesh he found, a soft growl rumbling in the back of his throat. Their bodies pressed together, hot flesh against Lavi’s chilled skin. A sharp gasp left Lavi’s lips, and he arched into the Tyki. They rutted against each other, and Lavi felt their hardened shafts brush together with the sensual movement. He couldn’t help but moan at the intimate touch.

“Mine.” Tyki bit him, a sharp pain shooting through Lavi’s neck. He squirmed under Tyki, the ache in his neck throbbing too much to ignore, but Tyki held him down, licking the bite mark to soothe the bruised flesh. He wasn’t sure if Tyki had broken the skin, but the tender touches after such rough treatment eased the panic welling up in his chest.

Kissing him again, Tyki growled, the sound muted as their mouths met. The possessive noise sent a wave of heat flooding through Lavi’s limbs. He curled his arms around Tyki’s strong, broad shoulders, fingers tangled in his dark hair. He lost himself in the feel of Tyki’s lips on his, his tongue claiming his mouth as if he owned it. Worries and doubts poured from his mind like water down the drain, and the more Tyki touched him, the less he could recall why he wanted to leave.

“You taste delicious, Red,” Tyki mumbled as he pulled away, only to kiss down his neck, slowly moving towards his chest. “Good enough to eat.” His mouth left wet kisses along Lavi’s chest, down his stomach. When his cheek brushed against Lavi’s stiff member, the redhead gasped, overly sensitive.

Tyki grinned, shifting until he was comfortably between Lavi’s legs. He licked along the underside of Lavi’s cock, tasting the heady skin. Lavi moaned again, hips bucking up weakly. “Be good and lie still for me.” Without waiting for an answer, he opened his mouth and took all of Lavi’s shaft in at once.

“Ah, fuck,” Lavi mumbled, biting his lip to stifle the other expletives threatening to crawl out of his mouth. He tightened his grip in Tyki’s hair as he pleasured him, fighting back the urge to thrust into his willing mouth with gusto. As difficult as it was to hold back, Tyki didn’t leave him wanting. He sucked and teased his flesh with care, tongue caressing the head and slick, licking up every drop of precum that oozed from the tip. His teeth grazed against Lavi’s hardened flesh every so often, and each instance forced a cry from Lavi’s mouth.

He felt the clenching low in his stomach, coming on quicker than before. Tyki’s pace was fast, faster than their previous encounters, and Lavi didn’t know how much longer he would be able to last with such attention. He fought to keep his breaths even, but the more Tyki sucked him, the tighter the knot in his stomach grew.

“Tyki, I—” he began, only to cut himself off with a long groan. With his good eye screwed shut and mouth agape in another soundless moan, he tried once more to ward off his impending orgasm. But in that instance, Tyki sucked him in deeper, Lavi’s cock brushing against the back of throat. Lavi came with a cry into the wet heat of Tyki’s mouth, hips pumping up as he milked himself between those slicked lips.

When Lavi had finished, Tyki pulled off his cock, lips sliding over spent flesh. While Lavi panted in a vain attempt to catch his breath, Tyki spit the collected cum in his hand. He looked down at Lavi’s flushed face and chest, smiling. Without a word, he spread Lavi’s legs further apart, knees bent slightly, then smoothed the mess of lukewarm cum and spit along his backside. The slick feeling of his own seed coating his ass pulled a groan from Lavi’s throat, but he didn’t shy away as Tyki’s fingers teased his tight hole.

As he pressed the first finger into Lavi’s ass, Tyki smirked. “Has anyone else had you like this?”

Lavi closed his eye, back arched as Tyki worked his way into him. “N-No,” he stuttered out, breaths heavy as he tried relax. He’d fooled around before, but he’d never let anyone this close—never let anyone inside him.

“Good,” Tyki replied, the smirk on his face growing wider. “I want you all to myself.” He plunged his finger knuckle deep, pressing the pad against his prostate. Lavi whined, gripping the grass at his side to hold himself still at the intense feeling. Even though he’d just cum, his dick twitched against his stomach, hardening up once more.

A second finger joined the first, and Lavi cried out at the stretch. Even though Tyki went slow, and the makeshift lubricant eased the friction, he still felt the sting of his body fighting to accommodate Tyki’s long fingers.

Humming coyly, Tyki scissored his fingers as he watched Lavi writhe under his touch. “So sensitive. I’m going to have fun with you.” Slowly, he withdrew his fingers, grinning as Lavi mewled and whined from the receding pressure. Once his fingers were free, he grabbed Lavi’s hips and roughly turned him over. The cool grass tickled his nose as Tyki pulled their bodies flush together—Tyki’s hips against his stretched ass. He felt Tyki’s hard cock push between his cheeks, smoothing through his own cum. On his knees, with his face planted in the grass, Lavi had never felt more vulnerable, or more alive.

He couldn’t see what Tyki was doing, only feel as their bodies slotted together like pieces of the same puzzle. Heat crept up his neck, flushing his cheeks anew with yearning. His back arched, ass in the air as Tyki was content to rub himself between his cheeks for the moment. Lavi panted, breaths coming in and out too fast as the anticipation left his insides aching with want.

Finally, Tyki slowed his hips again, pressing the tip of his cock against Lavi’s puckered entrance. He waited a moment, then two, and plunged himself inside. Lavi cried out, the shock of Tyki’s thickness filling him up too much to bear quietly. He bit his lip, but the moans and whines still slipped past. Tyki smoothed his hands over Lavi’s hips, holding Lavi tight against him.

“You’re mine, Red,” Tyki growled out, one hand sliding up the curve of his spine to cup around the back of Lavi’s neck. Nails dug into Lavi’s skin, and he whined louder, sounding more wanton than before at the rough treatment. He gasped for breath, chest heaving against the ground. Tyki tightened his grip. “And you’re staying here with me.”

Lavi didn’t have time to think of a reply—before he could gather his thoughts enough to speak, Tyki pumped his hips. The pressure and friction stole Lavi’s breath from his lungs. All he could do was press his face into the cool, damp grass and bite back a moan. Tyki refused to hold back, thrusting into the redhead without hesitation. Each thrust sent a jolt up Lavi’s spine, pain and pleasure merging together until he was nothing but a useless, babbling mess.

Tyki fucked him, their bodies rocking together like waves on the ocean, fluid and constant. Each push and pull sent electricity through Lavi’s body, the pressure and the friction pushing him back into euphoria. His cock grew hard again, even after such a recent release, and bounced against his stomach with each thrust of Tyki’s powerful hips.

Lost in the rush of lust, Lavi closed his eye against the sensations filling his body. Every time Tyki entered him, he brushed against that sensitive bundle of nerves inside, sending chills of delight into the pit of his stomach. He choked on his moans as he rocked himself back to meet each thrust, craving the fullness the longer they copulated. His heart hammered in his chest, coherent thoughts dissipating into smoke. Nothing mattered—not his family, his friends, or his _life_. All he could focus on was Tyki and how deliciously perfect he made him feel, how each second spent together with him left him free from all his burdens and expectations and responsibilities—

—Free from everything.

“Aaah,” Lavi cried out, fingers digging into the earth under him as Tyki rocked his hips harder.

A wolfish grin spread over Tyki’s face. The hand on Lavi’s neck slid to his shoulder, pulling him upright on his knees until his back was flush with Tyki’s chest. Tyki held him in place as he continued to fuck him, one arm around his chest and the other snaking along his hip until he touched Lavi’s red and sensitive cock. “Don’t hold back. I want to hear you scream.” He wrapped his fingers around the stiff length and jerked Lavi off. Each stroke of his hand fell in time with the pump of his hips, and the overwhelming sensation of being fucked from both ends sent Lavi tumbling over the edge. He moaned louder than before, head tilted back and resting on Tyki’s shoulder as his voice echoed throughout the meadow.

“Yes—more,” he groaned, hands reaching back to grab Tyki’s hair, pulling him closer as he ground his hips back to meet his thrust. “I need it— _please_.”

“You beg so nice,” he whispered, tightening his grip on Lavi’s cock. “Beg some more.” Tucking his lips to the crook of Lavi’s neck, Tyki sucked wet bruises into his skin, hips still canting rhythmically. A growl rumbled low in the back of his throat as he rocked his hips harder than before.

“Please, Tyki. _Please_ ,” The words tumbled from Lavi’s lips like a whispered prayer. He choked out another whine, mouth agape as he let Tyki fuck into him over and over again, unable to do anything but kneel there and moan like a kept whore.

Lavi felt the flames of desire ignite low in his belly, balls tight with need and desperate for another release. He tried to rock his hips, but Tyki’s grip on him was too tight. Unable to fight for more friction to soothe the need swelling deep inside, he mumbled half-words and moaned louder.

Tyki pressed his thumb against the tip of Lavi’s cock, milking the slit for more precum. “Mine,” he whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of Lavi’s ear. “All mine.” He thrust again, deeper, harder, until each pump of his hips forced the air out of Lavi’s lungs. The redhead couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think—all he could do was wait until Tyki decided to finish him off.

They continued on like that, bodies flushed and hot as they worked together towards completion. Lavi felt the building of pressure behind his navel, and Tyki’s hips thrusting into his backside harder than before. His mind blanked out, only lust and the constant movement of their bodies together registering in his consciousness. Tyki growled, louder than before, and as he inched closer to the edge of ecstasy, Lavi felt it—Tyki’s teeth digging into his shoulder again. 

Pain and pleasure erupted through his body like a flash of lightning across a pitch black sky. He came with a moan, cum spilling past Tyki’s fingers and staining his dark skin white. In the same instance, he felt Tyki spill into him, the hot rush of seed filling him up and oozing down the backs of his legs. The suddenness of it left Lavi speechless, his body numb and limp. Tyki lowered them back down onto the soft grass, uncoupling as he did so. Another rush of cum flowed from his abused hole, and Lavi groaned at the feeling—disgusted and pleased with himself at the same time.

His shoulder ached, throbbing from the bite Tyki left on him, and though he was sore beyond words, the satiated feeling left him content, like a kitten sleeping in a warm sunbeam. He rolled to his back, staring up at Tyki. His golden eyes followed Lavi’s movements.

“You’re mine now, Red,” Tyki said, brushing the hair from Lavi’s sweat-slicked forehead. “Forever.”

Lavi stared up past the thick foliage in the canopy, mind hazy and body buzzing with a post-orgasmic high. He couldn’t move, limbs stiff and sore, but he felt too blissed out to care. He knew Tyki’s words should’ve elicited a panic in his chest, but all he could feel in that moment was unwavering contentment. Forever in the forest with Tyki sounded right. It sounded _perfect_.

The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Tyki’s pleased smirk and the full moon shining bright in the black sky above him. 

 

xXxXxXx

 

_Be wary of the forest, lest the wolves eat you up._


End file.
